Shutter mechanism for photographic apparatus



Dec 4, 1928. 1,694,113 J. WOLF SHUTTER MECHANISM FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS ./..14 0//. z f/h a. a,

Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

UNITED STATES JACQUES WOLF, OF BASEL, SWITZERLAND.

SHUTTER MECHANISM FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS.

Application filed January 21, 1928, Serial No.

The present invention relates to a shutter mechanism for photographic a paratus in which the opening and closing 0 the shutter are automatically controlled from a spring barrel and in which a delay mechanism setting the beginning of the running down movement of the spring barrel is provided for. The improvement concerns the particular interconnection of the delay mechanism and the spring barrel, this interconnection being obtained by means of a. locking lever arranged in such a manner that on resetting the delay mechanism it is brought into locking position with respect to the spring barrel and locked therein until on the runnin down movement of the delay mechanism t e locking lever becomes unlocked and releases the spring barrel.

The accompanying drawing shows a constructional example of the improvements according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows the whole mechanism in normal condition with the shutter closed and with a shutter controlling device not under tension.

Figure 2 is a detail view.

The shutter mechanism illustrated oomprises the usual shutter consisting of a plurality of movable blades 7, a driving spring barrel 5 with its usual windin up means for moving the blades to open or shut the shutter, a control mechanism A for regulating the timing of the running down of the spring barrel shown on the right in the drawing whose construction may be of any desired type and is therefore not shown in detail, and a delay mechanism B shown on the left in the drawing which is provided with a special spring barrel and according to its own adjustment times the beginning of the movement'of the driving spring barrel 5. Control mechanism A and delay mechanism B are arranged in an annular casing G with the shutter centrally disposed within.

When the spring of the spring barrel 5 on whose periphery a control rib 5 is formed is put under tension through its usual winding up or tensioning means, the spring barrel 5 is turned in a counterclockwise direction so far out of the position shown in Figure 1 that it is locked by a locking lever 4 which falls into engagement with the rib 5". This lever is pivoted on the pin 4 and is influenced by a spring 4" which acts on the pin 4 of the lever 4 and tends to move the lever into the locking 248,888, and in Switzerland January 29, 1927.

position. At its upper end the locking lever 4 is controlled by the release mechanism.

This release mechanism comprises a knob l-(Figure 1), adapted to be operated by the finger or otherwise, which when moved pushes forward a part 2 and thus turns the member 3 about 3 against the action of the spring 3". Towards the end of this movement the art 3of the member 3 abuts a ainst the ackwardly rojecting pin' 4 of the lever 4, and on furt er movement turns this lever about its pivot 4" until its shorter end disengages from the rib 5 of the spring barrel 5, releasing the latter for the opening stroke of the shutter blades and the running down movement of the shutter control mechanism A.

.The opening and shutting of the blades 7 of the shutter, each of which is pivoted on a pin 7 of the base plate, is effected-by the spring barrel 5 turning a ring 6 broken away on the drawing, to which the blades are linked at 7. (The details of the mounting and connection of theblades 7 are represented only for one of same.) The ring 6 is controlled by a hook 6 which is linked at 5 to the spring barrel 5 and co-operates with .a pin 6 of the ring 6 when the spring barrel 5 turns about its axis in a clockwise direction. During the rotary motion of the spring barrel, which extends over an angle of about 180, the hook 6* has a. reciprocatory movement like a crank connecting rod thus causing, the movement of the ring 6. In its forward movement the book 6 abuts with its tooth 6 against the pin 6, as soon as it is allowed to do so by the guide pin 6 against which it slides under the influence of the spring 6', Whilst the return movement of the ring 6 is effected by the hook piece 6 of the book 6 as soon as the spring barrel 5 pulls the hook in the return direction. When the spring barrel 5 is being wound up or put under tension, the hook- 6 slides against the pin 6', and until the tension is complete it does no more engage with the pin 6, which is held by the spring 6" against undesired movements from shock and the like. As can be seen, owing to its crank like drive, the hook 6 in the middle part of its stroke has hardly any longitudinal movement.

The spring barrel 5 is .furtherunder the control of'the above mentioned delay mechanism B This comprises, as above mentioned, a special spring barrel 10 with the usual winding up or tensioning means against those. periphery hes a spring pressed pawl 9 which is also pivoted on the pm at nder tension or wound up. after the spring barrel is put under tension the delay mechanism has also been put under tension, on pressure of the knob 1 the lever disengag'es from the spring barrel 5, but this latter is still retained by the locl ing lever 8 held in the locking position by the pawl 9,. after it has turned so tar that on role ng' the pressure on the knob l the lever a can no longer engage the rib 5, but rests on s periphery in the manner shown in Figure he locking end of the lever 8 has an no end surface on which the edge of the oi the spring barrel 5 exerts a pressure in the direction of the arrow barrel 5 as soon as it is released by the 3). his occurs as soon as the t-ensioned mechanism has run down and the notch i the spring barrel lies opposite the shaped end of the pawl 9. At this int the locking lever 8 loses its support on pawl 9, it yields to the spring pressure and ng barrel 5 can proceed with its re- 7 movement to perform its further func- The notch 10 has an oblique edge at so that when the delay mechanism 1y turning the spring barrel 10 se movement is limited by an abutment or the underside of the base plate (not visible in the drawing) so that its greatest movement is limited to about 300. After the delay mechanism has been put under tension therefore the pawl 91 cannot fall into the notch 10 Figure 2) even it the delay mechanism is not completely tensioned to obtain a shorter delay. The locking lever at has a projection l which. in the tensioned condition of the spring 3 l 5 and so long as the knob l is not de- 1 l, holds the escapement pawl 29 ot' the clay mechanism B out of engagement with the escapement wheel 29, so that the delay mech iism can be tensioned, it being effected by pr -ssing back the arm 30 which is pivoted 30 and carries the escapement pawl 29', against the action of the spring 30 If the lever is released, its projection 4 releases the arm 30 and this swings the escapcment pawl 29 inwards so that the part- 30 abuts against the abutment 30 beneath he lever a there is a locking pawl 11, 'ch when the spring barrel 5 is tensio'aed and the lever 4 has engaged with the rib 5" or the soring barrel o, prevents the tensioned spring barrel 10 of the delay mechanism from running down before the release by engaging the teeth on the same. On de pression of the knob 1, the movement of the lever a produced thereby causes the pin r of the-same to lift the locking pawl 11 out of engagement with the. teeth of the spring barrel, and the delay mechanism begins to run down.

The shutter mechanism can work with or without the delay mechanism.

(1). Wit/tout delay mec/zanism .The spring barrel 5 is tensioned so that it is locked by the levers l and 8. ()n depressing the lillOl) 1, the lever l is caused to disengage with the rib 5 ot' the spring barrel 5, and the lever 8, which has no further looking support on the pawl 9, is swung out by the pressure of the spring barrel 5 on its oblique end surface, thus releasing the spring barrel 5 so that the shutter can be freely operated according to the ratio of transmission of the shutter control mechanism A.

lVit/t delay mcchtmc'sm.-T he spring barrel 5 is tensioned so that it is locked by the levers 4 and 8. By the movement of the lever l the escapement pawl 29 of the delay mechanism B is lifted out of operative engageinent and the delay mechanism can theretore be put under tension. The locking pawl 11 prevents the same running down at once. The pawl 9 rests with its free end on the smooth upper surface of the spring barrel 10. On depressing the knob 1, the lever 4 is moved and thus releases the spring barrel 5, Whose rib 5 at once abuts against the lever 8. The latter, however, cannot yield for it is locked on the pawl 9. At the same time the movement of the lever l releases the escape- Inent pawl 29 of the delay mechanism and lifts the pawl ll out of the teeth of the spring barrel 10 so that the delay mechanism can begin its movement. The spring barrel 10 turns about an angle of approximately 300,

or an angle corresponding to the degree of its tensioning until the pawl 9 falls into the notch 10. Thus the support is removed from the lever 8 and the same yields to the pressure of the spring barrel 5 so that the latter can turn and the blades 7 are operated.

If the shutter mechanism is used in the way above described its working speed, that is the length of time between opening and shutting is only depcndent on the strength of the spring of the spring barrel 5 as driving element and the operation of the control mechanism A, which. as above mentioned can be of any desired construction and has only to brake or regulate the running of the spring of the spring barrel 5. The latter makes graphic apparatus a movable shutter, a 1 driving spring barrel,connecting means between the drlving spring barrel and the shutter, an automatically controlled locking lever for said driving spring barrel, a spring barrel delay mechanism arranged to bring said automatically controlled locking lever into locking position when being put under tension and to hold-same therein, and means, controlled by said delay mechanism, for allowing said automatically controlled looking lever to release the driving spring barrel on running down of the delay mechanism.

2. In a shutter mechanism for photo graphic ap aratus, a movable shutter, a driv-. ing spring b'arrel, a hand operatable locking lever therefor, connecting means between the driving spring barrel and the shutter, an automatically controlled locking lever for said driving spring barrel, a spring barrel delay mechanism arranged to bring said automatically controlled locking lever into locking osition when being put under tension and to hold same therein and means, controlled b said delay mechanism, for allowing sai automatically controlled looking lever to release the driving spring barrel on running down of the delay mechanism.

3. In a shutter mechanism for photographic ap aratus, a movable shutter, a drivmg spring arrel, connecting means between said drivin spring barrel and the shutter, an automatically controlled locking lever for said driving spring barrel, 9. spring barrel delay mechanism, a movable support piece controlled thereby for supporting the said automatically controlled locking lever in looking position with respect to the driving spring barrel, and means to allow yieldin of said support piece on running down 0 the delay mechanism and to thus allow the automatically controlled locking lever to release the driving spring barrel.

4. In a shutter mechanism for photographic apparatus, a movable shutter, a drivmg spring barrel, connecting means between said driving spring barrel, an abutting part on the latter, an automatically controlled locking lever for said driving spring barrel having an oblique abutting surface at its end cooperating with the abutting part of said driving spring barrel, a spring barrel delay mechanism, a movable support pawl arranged to cooperate with a movable member thereof, said pawl being provided with' means to support the said automatically controlled lockmg lever in locking position with respect to the driving spring barrel, and means to allow yielding of said support pawl on running down of the delaymechanism for the purpose of allowing the automatically controlled locking lever to release the driving spring barrel owing to the pressure of the a uttmg part thereof upon the oblique end surface of said lever.

5. In a shutter mechanism for photographic apparatus, a movable shutter, a drivmg spring barrel, a hand operatable lockin lever therefor, connecting means between sai driving spring barrel and the shutter, an automatically controlled locking lever for said driving spring barrel, a spring barrel delay mechanism arranged to bring said automatically controlled locking lever into locking position when being put under tension and to hold same therein, means dependent on said hand operatable locking lever to lock said delay mechanism and means controlled by said delay mechanism for causing the automatically controlled locking lever to release the driving spring barrel on running down ofthe unlocked delay.

mechanism.

6. In a shutter mechanism for, photo- I .means controlled by said delay mechanism for causing the automatically controlled locking lever to release the driving spring barrel on running down of the unlocked delay mechanism.

7. In a shutter mechanism for photographic purposes, a movable shutter, a drivmg spring barrel, connecting means between said driving s ring barrel and the shutter,

an automatical y controlled locking lever for said driving spring barrel, 9. sprin barrel delay mechanism having a notche rotary lever into lockelement, a spring urged pawl engaging said notched rotary element, and means on said pawl to support and hold said automaticallycontrolled locking lever in locking position with respect to the driving spring barrel when being put under tension, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this'7th day of January, 1928.

JACQUES WOLF. 

